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Manchester bombing: three arrested in south Manchester – live news
Manchester bombing: three arrested in south Manchester – live updates
(35 minutes later)
11.30am BST
11:30
Amber Rudd, the home secretary, has recorded a clip for broadcasters about this morning’s Cobra meeting. Sky News is playing it now.
She says good progress had been made with the investigation.
And she says 984 members of the armed forces were being deployed, initially in London but then elsewhere, she said.
Q: Your French counterpart says Salman Abedi had gone to Syria.
Rudd says she is not going to comment on the operation.
Q: Was Abedi subject to a temporary exclusion order or a Tpim
Rudd says she cannot comment.
Q: And can you say anything about Abedi’s father, who is reported to be in Libya.
Rudd says she cannot comment on the investigation. It must be allowed to proceed.
Q: Have you sent messages to the Americans about the leaking of information?
Rudd says the Americans understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of the UK investigation.
(That means, the Americans have agreed not to do it again - see 9.35am.)
11.21am BST
11:21
800 troops to be deployed
Ewen MacAskill
The British army is to deploy about 800 troops around the UK to support police in the aftermath of the Manchester attack.
The troops will be stationed from later today, replacing police guards at No 10 Downing Street, parliament and Buckingham Palace, and elsewhere around London.
Regional police officers in Manchester and elsewhere will discuss specific deployments with their military regional counterparts.
The soldiers will be in uniform but under the command of the police.
The reason cited for troops replacing armed police on guard duty is to free up officers so they can focus on arrests and other duties.
The troops are being deployed under an operation codenamed Temperer. In 2015, after the attack in Paris on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the government discussed deploying troops on the streets as the French did.
At the time, there was resistance from the military, citing that the army, down to 82,000 – its lowest figure since the 19th century – was overstretched. Military chiefs also raised concerns that the troops would become bored with guard duty once the novelty wore off.
A bigger strategic concern was that once troops are deployed, as they were in Northern Ireland, it can become hard to withdraw them.
The French government, after deploying thousands of troops, went on to deploy even more.
Another concern was becoming embroiled in political controversy, as happened after Tony Blair sent armoured vehicles and troops to Heathrow in response to a plot to blow up airlines.
Updated
at 11.30am BST
11.16am BST
11:16
Vikram Dodd
Greater Manchester police is being unusually reticent about the investigation.
In its latest statement, GMP did not say what the men were arrested for and there was none of the details usually given by police forces, even during high-pressure investigations.
It is not clear whether the warrants were to search the premises or whether those detained were found at the properties and arrested while they were being investigated. It is also unclear whether police were specifically looking for any of the arrested men.
GMP statement - Three men arrested pic.twitter.com/ohuGs4iR8g
Updated
at 11.18am BST
11.07am BST
11:07
Josh Halliday
Donovan Kinsey, 29, a neighbour of Salman Abedi, said he seemed “very quiet” but would often have friends to visit at his semi-detached home in Fallowfields in Manchester.
“Occasionally he’d wear hooded tops and jeans and occasionally you’d see him in traditional dress,” he told journalists outside the police cordon.
“He didn’t seem [violent], he was very quiet. He had people going in to visit him quite a lot, but apart from that you didn’t hear anything from the family.
“There used to be an older lady that lived there with them and a young child, and two young men.”
Asked whether the family seemed religious, Kinsey said: “I’d say so yeah because they did wear traditional dresses occasionally, but I didn’t speak to them that much.
“It’s just a bit of a shock what’s happened – it’s cowardly attacking young children. There’s other ways of going about things. You don’t attack young children. It’s disgusting what he’s done.
“Everyone’s friendly with each other, everyone gets along, there’s never any trouble round here. It’s quite a multicultural area and you don’t expect anything like this to happen.”
Salman Abedi's neighbour, Donovan Kinsey, 29, says the bomber seemed "very quiet": "It's unbelievable what he's done." pic.twitter.com/6jZyn7LycV
Updated
at 11.12am BST
11.03am BST
11:03
Here’s confirmation from Greater Manchester police of the three arrests.
GMP statement - Three men arrested pic.twitter.com/ohuGs4iR8g
A total of four men have now been arrested as part of the inquiry into the attack by suicide bomber Salman Abedi.
Abedi’s 23-year-old brother, Ismail, was one of those arrested according to the BBC.
It's been confirmed the 23 year old man arrested yesterday in Chorlton is Salman Abedi's brother
Updated
at 11.05am BST
10.59am BST
10:59
Frances Perraudin
Tattoo artists in Manchester are offering to ink the city’s bee symbol on to people for £50 to raise money for the victims of the bombing and their families. The worker bee was first used as a motif for Manchester during the industrial revolution – standing for Mancunians’ work ethic and community spirit – and it appears on dustbins, lampposts, bollards and paving stones across the city.
Updated
at 11.04am BST
10.55am BST
10.55am BST
10:55
10:55
Severin Carrell
Severin Carrell
Police Scotland has apparently not yet asked the army to supply guards for major sites and government buildings despite the threat level being raised to critical, but confusion reigned over what decision had been taken and who is responsible for announcing that.
Police Scotland has apparently not yet asked the army to supply guards for key sites and government buildings despite the threat level being raised to critical, but confusion reigned over what decision had been taken and who is responsible for announcing it.
Theresa May said troops would be deployed to provide static guards in England under the government’s Operation Temperer plan to free up armed police officers from guarding duties. Those sites included Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament and foreign embassies in London.
Theresa May said troops would be deployed to provide static guards in England under the government’s Operation Temperer plan to free up armed police officers from guarding duties. Those sites included Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament and foreign embassies in London.
Neither Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, nor Scotland’s chief constable Phil Gormley addressed the army deployment question in their latest statements on security on Wednesday morning, implying they had opted not to call up the army or that the question had not yet been resolved.
Neither Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister, nor Scotland’s chief constable, Phil Gormley, addressed the army deployment question in their latest statements on security on Wednesday morning, implying they had opted not to call up the army or that the question had not yet been resolved.
It is possible the decision is seen as far more politically sensitive here, given the Scottish independence question or instead the police believe the threat level is not as serious.
It is possible the decision is seen as far more politically sensitive here, given the Scottish independence question or instead the police believe the threat level is not as serious.
A police spokeswomen said that was a question for the Scottish government. A Scottish government spokesman said he needed to find out. A British Army spokeswoman in Scotland said the police were in the lead on deployment decisions.
A police spokeswoman said that was a question for the Scottish government. A Scottish government spokesman said he needed to find out. A British army spokeswoman in Scotland said the police were the lead on deployment decisions.
“We are on standby to be of any use to Police Scotland if they wish, but it’s really their call,” she said. The army would be used “to allow them to release their authorised firearms officers where they are currently deployed to assist where they are needed.”
“We are on standby to be of any use to Police Scotland if they wish, but it’s really their call,” she said. The army would be used “to allow them to release their authorised firearms officers where they are currently deployed to assist where they are needed.”
Updated
at 10.57am BST
10.53am BST
10.53am BST
10:53
10:53
Nadia Khomami
Nadia Khomami
Martyn Hett, 29, from Stockport, went missing after he became separated from friends at the concert.His brother Dan Hett said on Tuesday that he still had no news of his brother - who was due to travel to America for a two-month holiday on Wednesday.On Wednesday he tweeted: “They found my brother last night. We are heartbroken.”Hett’s partner Russell Hayward said in a statement: “We got the news last night that our wonderful iconic and beautiful Martyn didn’t survive. He left this world exactly how he lived, centre of attention. I’m in a really bad way so please forgive if I don’t reply. Thankfully I have his wonderful family and amazing friends to keep each other strong. I love you Martyn. I always will. X”.Another friend, Christina, also paid tribute to “my best friend, my maid of honour”.
Martyn Hett, 29, from Stockport, went missing after he became separated from friends at the concert.
His brother, Dan, said on Tuesday that he had still not had news of Hett, who was due to travel to America for a two-month holiday on Wednesday.
On Wednesday he tweeted: “They found my brother last night. We are heartbroken.”
Hett’s partner, Russell Hayward, said: “We got the news last night that our wonderful iconic and beautiful Martyn didn’t survive. He left this world exactly how he lived, centre of attention. I’m in a really bad way so please forgive if I don’t reply. Thankfully I have his wonderful family and amazing friends to keep each other strong. I love you Martyn. I always will. X”.
Another friend, Christina, also paid tribute to “my best friend, my maid of honour”.
Thanks for everyone's help and support. I will love him forever. pic.twitter.com/GVYHuLPpxi
Thanks for everyone's help and support. I will love him forever. pic.twitter.com/GVYHuLPpxi
Updated
at 11.00am BST
10.53am BST
10.53am BST
10:53
10:53
The House of Commons authorities have announced that the building is being closed to non-passholders today. That means that tours of the Palace of Westminster, and any events booked to take place in rooms in the building, have been cancelled. The authorities will decide later today whether these restrictions will continue to apply tomorrow.
The House of Commons authorities have announced that the building is being closed to non-passholders today. That means that tours of the Palace of Westminster, and any events booked to take place in rooms in the building, have been cancelled. The authorities will decide later today whether these restrictions will continue to apply tomorrow.
10.49am BST
10.49am BST
10:49
10:49
Changing of the guard cancelled
Changing of the guard cancelled
The Changing the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace has been cancelled today to redeploy police officers following the Manchester attack, the Ministry of Defence said.
The Changing the guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace has been cancelled today to redeploy police officers following the Manchester attack, the Ministry of Defence said.
Earlier, Scotland Yard revealed that troops will be deployed at Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, embassies and the Palace of Westminster, after the terrorist threat level was raised to critical.
Earlier, Scotland Yard revealed that troops will be deployed at Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, embassies and the Palace of Westminster, after the terrorist threat level was raised to critical.
Updated
Updated
at 10.50am BST
at 11.23am BST
10.47am BST
10.47am BST
10:47
10:47
Tenth victim named
Tenth victim named
A tenth victim of the Manchester attack has been named as Martyn Hett. His brother, Dan, confirmed Hett was among the dead. He tweeted that he was “heartbroken”.
A tenth victim of the Manchester attack has been named as Martyn Hett. His brother, Dan, confirmed Hett was among the dead. He tweeted that he was “heartbroken”.
Hett previously appealed for help in locating his brother.
Hett previously appealed for help in locating his brother.
they found my brother last night. we are heartbroken.
they found my brother last night. we are heartbroken.
The names of 10 of the 22 victims have now been revealed.
The names of 10 of the 22 victims have now been revealed.
Martyn Hett, 29
Martyn Hett, 29
Angelika Klis, 40
Angelika Klis, 40
Marcin Klis, 42
Marcin Klis, 42
Georgina Callander, 18
Georgina Callander, 18
Saffie Rose Roussos, eight
Saffie Rose Roussos, eight
John Atkinson, 28
John Atkinson, 28
Kelly Brewster, 32
Kelly Brewster, 32
Olivia Campbell, 15
Olivia Campbell, 15
Alison Howe, 45
Alison Howe, 45
Lisa Lees, 47
Lisa Lees, 47
Updated
Updated
at 10.51am BST
at 10.51am BST
10.40am BST
10.40am BST
10:40
10:40
None of the opposition parties have put out press statements about the decision taken last night to raise the threat level from severe to critical. A Labour source said the party was not commenting, and a Lib Dem source said the party had not issued a press statement because the decision was one taken by an independent panel, and not by ministers, and that therefore they did not want to politicise it.
None of the opposition parties have put out press statements about the decision taken last night to raise the threat level from severe to critical. A Labour source said the party was not commenting, and a Lib Dem source said the party had not issued a press statement because the decision was one taken by an independent panel, and not by ministers, and that therefore they did not want to politicise it.
The silence is slightly odd because political parties issue press releases about almost everything, including decisions taken by non-partisan officials. It may be a sign of how nervous all the political parties are about being seen to in any way capitalise on the Manchester atrocity.
The silence is slightly odd because political parties issue press releases about almost everything, including decisions taken by non-partisan officials. It may be a sign of how nervous all the political parties are about being seen to in any way capitalise on the Manchester atrocity.
But Shami Chakrabarti did comment in an interview on Newsnight last night. Chakrabarti is the shadow attorney general, but she was introduced as someone speaking not in that capacity, but in her capacity as a former director of the civil rights group Liberty.
But Shami Chakrabarti did comment in an interview on Newsnight last night. Chakrabarti is the shadow attorney general, but she was introduced as someone speaking not in that capacity, but in her capacity as a former director of the civil rights group Liberty.
Asked if she was satisfied that the joint terrorism analysis centre (JTAC), which took the decision to raise the threat level, was independent, and not subject to politicisation, she replied:
Asked if she was satisfied that the joint terrorism analysis centre (JTAC), which took the decision to raise the threat level, was independent, and not subject to politicisation, she replied:
Look what I would say on a night like this one is that this is not the moment for conspiracy theories. So if anybody is, you know, feeling panicked about the timing of this, I would just urge them to be calm and united.
Look what I would say on a night like this one is that this is not the moment for conspiracy theories. So if anybody is, you know, feeling panicked about the timing of this, I would just urge them to be calm and united.
Asked, again, if she supported the decision to raise the threat level, she replied:
Asked, again, if she supported the decision to raise the threat level, she replied:
I am not a privy counsellor and I have not seen the intelligence, but nor am I going to take a knee-jerk in the other direction, and to be a conspiracy theorist. I don’t think that would be good for anybody this evening.
I am not a privy counsellor and I have not seen the intelligence, but nor am I going to take a knee-jerk in the other direction, and to be a conspiracy theorist. I don’t think that would be good for anybody this evening.
10.40am BST
10:40
Sarah Marsh
A surgeon who treated a victim of the Manchester attack said the injuries were similar to those he encountered while working as a volunteer in hospitals in rebel-held Syria.
Mounir Hakimi, from Lancashire teaching hospitals NHS foundation trust, said on Wednesday morning that he was about to operate on a woman who came to the Preston hospital as one of the walking wounded. He would be removing shrapnel that was lodged in her body after the blast.
Hakimi, who runs Syria Relief, a charity that has provided training to Syrian doctors, said her injuries were similar to ones he faced working in Syria.
He said: “When I go to Syria we get these blast injuries, but at a much higher scale. I’ve treated patients who have lost limbs and more severe injuries. I also see people with injuries similar to one I am operating on [this morning]. Missiles fired in Syria involve lots of shrapnel in them, nails and debris, but in Syria on a much higher scale.”
The surgeon said his colleagues had treated people with shrapnel wounds, as well as those with crush wounds. “I don’t know how many people have crushing injuries but this happens in the confusion. These injuries involve people breaking bone or damagingsoft tissue,” he said.
He said doctors were treating patients who had faced trauma. He said: “It’s so difficult when you have a patient who is mentally and psychologically badly affected. “I live 15 minutes away from the arena so I was thinking my daughter could have been there. Treating patients affected with this you think, what if this was my daughter and wife?
“I have not had a chance to speak in full detail to colleagues involved. Most stayed up all night and are emotionally tired and I was at a vigil yesterday. We were all badly affected and don’t want to talk to people. The mood is still bad … It will take time for everyone to recover and get back to normal life.”
Updated
at 10.49am BST
10.35am BST
10:35
Three men arrested in south Manchester
Three men have been arrested in south Manchester, in connection with the ongoing investigation into the attack, Manchester police has announced.
Three men arrested after police executed warrants in South Manchester in connection to arena bombing - GM police
Updated
at 10.45am BST
10.33am BST
10:33
Police have been deployed outside Didsbury mosque, in south Manchester following the attack.
A van, a video unit and a handful of uniformed officers could be seen outside the mosque, which was attended by the bomber Salman Abedi and members of his family. There appears to be little activity in the mosque.
There are no searches going on as far as we can tell. There are also unmarked police cars moving about the neighbourhood and police community support officers on foot.
Police presence at Didsbury mosque now - van and mobile video unit. pic.twitter.com/ihjSz2GVCu
Updated
at 10.39am BST
10.15am BST
10:15
Ewen MacAskill
The frustration of the security services with the American leaks was obvious on Tuesday, with the release of the name of the Manchester killer and other details while the investigation was still live.
And on Wednesday the home secretary, Amber Rudd, said: “The British police have been very clear that they want to control the flow of information in order to protect operational integrity, the element of surprise. So it is irritating if it gets released from other sources and I have been very clear with our friends that should not happen again.”
The irritation would have turned to despair with the French interior minister, Gerard Collomb, on Wednesday, revealing further details of British intelligence on television. He let it be known not only that Salman Abedi had recently been to Libya, but may also have been in Syria.
The police and security services usually have good reasons for not disclosing information immediately to the media as they accumulate it. One of the main reasons is that it is helpful when investigating a suspect’s network of family, friends and colleagues not to alert them by disclosing the name. So it was awkward for the police when Abedi’s name was revealed by US officials in Washington to American journalists two hours before they disclosed it to the UK.
Earlier in the day, the security services had no plans to disclose the name and may only have done so because of the Americans.
There are other reasons. They do not want to reveal to those they are hunting – and their opponents in general – the extent of the information they hold and, sometimes, the techniques they use for gaining that information.
On a purely practical level, the police would have preferred time searching the home of Abedi and speaking to neighbours without the media descending on the location after the US released the name.
One of the basic tenets of intelligence sharing is that other agencies do not disclose it. The problem is that those intelligence agencies, whether the US or French, pass it upwards to their presidents, prime ministers and departmental ministers. In the past, that secrecy was usually respected.
But in quick succession, Donald Trump revealed to Russia information obtained by Israeli intelligence from a Middle East source, the US revealed UK intelligence about Abedi and now the French have done so too.
The temptation for the UK police and intelligence services would be to stop sharing some of that intelligence. But the UK relies so heavily on the sharing of intelligence from the US and also benefits from intelligence, especially on counter-terrorism, from European colleagues such as France and Germany.
Updated
at 10.23am BST
10.05am BST
10:05
Severin Carrell
Fears are growing for Eilidh MacLeod, the 14-year-old girl from Barra in the Outer Hebrides, who had travelled to the Ariana Grande concert with her friend Laura MacIntyre.
Angus MacNeil, the MP for the Western Isles and a close friend of the MacIntyres, said there was still no word of Eilidh, a pupil at Castlebay community school on Barra. “Poor Eilidh, there’s no sign,” he said.
It emerged yesterday evening that Laura was very ill in hospital with extremely serious burns. The parents of both girls are now in Manchester, helping police and in a vigil at Laura’s bedside.
The Scottish government said last night that six concert-goers had been treated for injuries in hospitals in Scotland.
Four of those had been discharged by 9pm yesterday and two were still being treated in hospital. None had life-threatening injuries.
Meanwhile, the Scottish parliament closed all staff entrances and asked all officials, visitors, media and MSPs to pass through the x-ray screening and search point at its main public entrance in response to the raised threat level of critical.
Phil Gormley, the chief constable of Police Scotland, said a new multi-agency response centre had been established given the raised security level, and there would be more visible policing across the country.
He added: “Yesterday morning, we increased the number of armed police on patrol at key locations and the public should expect to see armed officers on foot patrol.
“We are reviewing all significant events along with event organisers taking place within the next 14 days and will increase the security footprint around those events where it is deemed appropriate.”
Updated
at 10.09am BST
10.01am BST
10:01
Jamie Grierson
The arena bomber, Salman Abedi, is now known to have studied at the University of Salford.
He reportedly started a business and management course in 2014 but dropped out two years later. He would have graduated this year, had he continued with the course.
This morning, students arriving for exams at Salford Business School on the quiet campus grounds were not aware of Abedi’s connection to the university.
One student, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s spooky to learn he was here at the same uni as us.”
Salford Business School where it is understood arena bomber Salman Abedi studied before dropping out two years into his course. pic.twitter.com/AqbcKHopAU
9.56am BST
09:56
Eighth and ninth victims named
Nadia Khomami
The identity of the two Polish citizens killed in the Manchester terror attack has been confirmed as Angelika and Marcin Klis.
On Tuesday, the couple’s daughter shared an appeal to find her parents, who had not been seen since the attack. The student shared a photo of the pair taken before the concert on Facebook, writing: “Anyone who is in any safe place or hospital in Manchester, if anyone comes across my parents please please let me know as they’ve been missing ever since the attack.
Poland’s foreign minister, Witold Waszczykowski, this morning identified the victims as a couple who had been waiting for their daughters at the arena. The Polish embassy in London has confirmed that they were Angelika and Marcin Klis.
We now know the identities of nine of the 22 people killed in the attack. They are:
Angelika Klis, 40
Marcin Klis, 42
Georgina Callander, 18
Saffie Rose Roussos, eight
John Atkinson, 28
Kelly Brewster, 32
Olivia Campbell, 15
Alison Howe, 45
Lisa Lees, 47
Updated
at 10.04am BST
9.38am BST
09:38
Sam Jones
The Manchester atrocity has prompted the Spanish government to urge better intelligence sharing and increased trust across the EU.
Speaking on Tuesday Spain’s foreign minister, Alfonso Dastis, said member states had to work together to put an end to what he called “this wretched scourge”.
Dastis, who previously served as Spain’s representative to the EU, added: “We have to work together, especially by pooling the information we have, with the awareness that no one is exempt from this madness.”
To that end, he said, all the members of the union needed to “establish a level of trust that allows for the fluid exchange of information”.
While he acknowledged progress on cooperation was being made, Dastis said: “I think that when it comes to this fight we must still improve the sharing of information and our joint work in this area.”
Following the attacks in Paris in November 2015, which killed 130 people, it emerged that the intelligence services in France and Belgium had previously identified the perpetrators as radicals. But despite compiling dossiers on them, the security services failed to join them up.
The home secretary, Amber Rudd, has spoken of the British government’s irritation that the name of the Manchester suicide bomber, Salman Ramadan Abedi, was released by the Americans. As she was speaking, her French counterpart revealed that Britain had told French officials Abedi probably travelled to Syria.
Updated
at 9.43am BST
9.35am BST
09:35
Amber Rudd's Today interview - Summary
Here are the main points from Amber Rudd’s Today programme interview earlier.
Rudd, the home secretary, took the rare step of issuing a public reprimand to the American authorities for releasing information about the Manchester investigation to the media. Asked about the leaks of information coming out of the US (see 7.40am), she said:
The British police have been very clear that they want to control the flow of information in order to protect operational integrity, the element of surprise. So it is irritating if it gets released from other sources and I have been very clear with our friends that should not happen again.
It is very unusual for a government minister to criticise the Americans explicitly in this way.
She suggested that the raising of the threat level from severe to critical may not last long. She said that this was an assessment made by the joint terrorism assessment centre (JTAC), not by ministers. But it was being kept under constant review, she said. And she went on:
I do note that the last time the threat level was raised to critical it lasted five days, and before that four days. So we will see.
She said that she only expected the deployment of troops on to the streets (Operation Temperer) to be temporary. She said:
This is not going to be a situation which we are going to move to and arrive at a new level of need for defence or support or protection. This is a temporary arrangement in order to respond to an exceptional event.
She said it has not been proved that Salman Abedi was directed by Islamic State.
She defended Prevent, the government’s anti-radicalisation programme, saying it had stopped 150 people travelling to Syria last year, 50 of whom were children. After the election the Tories plan to increase its funding, she said.
She said it was “likely” that Abedi was not acting on his own.
The Home Secretary Amber Rudd says it is "likely" the Manchester attack suspect "was not doing this on his own" https://t.co/tXZbpP0VkE pic.twitter.com/CP8PsfgkJC
She said she did not believe anti-terrorism laws had to be strengthened. After the investigation was over, there would be time to review legislation, she said. But she went on:
I have confidence that the police and the intelligence services have the tools they need. And also in my conversations with them there has been no additional request for strengthening of Tpims [terrorism prevention and investigation measures, which replaced control orders] or additional tools. And that’s not just over the past few days, that’s over the past few months.
My colleague Alan Travis says this is surprising in the light of what the Conservative manifesto says.
Suprised to hear Amber Rudd say no pressure for new counter-extremist powers. Tory manifesto promises to consider new criminal offences.
Alan is referring to this passage in the manifesto (pdf).
To defeat extremism, we need to learn from how civil society and the state took on racism in the twentieth century. We will consider what new criminal offences might need to be created, and what new aggravated offences might need to be established, to defeat the extremists.
Updated
at 9.47am BST
9.32am BST
09:32
Kim Willsher
The French interior minister called an emergency meeting of security officials and police with a view to reviewing security at sporting and cultural events in France.
Gerard Collomb told BFMTV that the Manchester bomber had “no doubt” trained in Syria (see earlier) after being informed by British investigators.
“These are people who are born in a country and who radicalise through the propaganda of IS [Isis],” Collomb said.
Asked if he had information that the bomber belonged to a network, Collomb replied: “We don’t know at this time, but perhaps … in any case he had proven links with Islamic State.
“Everyone is touched by this, it could have happened in France it could be your child dying in an atrocious manner. I have spoken to the mayor of Manchester and the interior minister and we have reaffirmed that, despite Brexit, the links between our security forces will remain strong.”
France has been under a state of emergency since the wave of bombings and shootings across Paris in November 2015, which killed 130 people. Thousands of soldiers are patrolling the country’s streets as part of Operation Sentinelle.
France’s new president, Emmanuel Macron, has promised to set up a terrorism “taskforce” made up of 50-100 experts working around the clock to identify and foil possible attacks.
